Holiday Raspberry Pull Apart Snowflake Bread

A Surprise Hit: Raspberry Cardamom Snowflake Wreath for Christmas Morning from Sur la Table

This holiday season I tried making the Raspberry Cardamom Snowflake Pull-Apart Wreath — and holy moly wow, it turned out even better than I expected. What looked like something that might require bakery-level skill came together almost effortlessly, and the result was as delicious as it was beautiful.

Why this recipe works (and why you’ll love it)

• The dough is super soft: a mix of warm water, yeast, eggs, a touch of honey, melted butter — plus a hint of ground cardamom for warmth and subtle spice. It tastes a lot like the bread from a cinnamon roll and would be delicious with any other filling – nutella, apricot, cranberry, or my Christmas Jam recipe would be delicous!
• The filling is simple but flavorful: raspberry jam boosted with more cardamom and a little lemon zest gives a lovely balance of fruity sweetness and aromatic depth. It would also be really yummy with some orange zest as well!
• The shape — a snowflake-style wreath — makes it special for the holidays. When you twist the dough layers, the final wreath feels festive and looks impressive, even if you’re not a pro baker. Simply cut and twist each “branch” twice and then pinch at together.
• I opted to not try the lemon glaze, but I’m sure it would be delish. A lemon-cream glaze (or a dusting of powdered sugar) adds a finishing touch that feels indulgent and festive.

Because of all that, it’s perfect for Christmas morning (or any cozy holiday breakfast). It smells divine as it bakes, slices with beautiful spiral layers, and tastes like a cross between a pastry and a light sweet bread.

Although I was concerned that I put too much raspberry jam in between each layer, it turned out so pretty!

What I loved about making it

• It felt easier than it looked. Dividing the dough, rolling out the layers, adding filling, shaping — it’s a bit of work, but it never felt overwhelming. I actually left the dough out overnight (I forgot about it), and it had risen quite significantly – which I think helped to make it extra soft.
• Watching the wreath twist and come alive in the oven was so satisfying. It made for a beautiful centerpiece before we even cut into it.
• The flavor hit all the right notes: bright raspberry, cozy cardamom spice, a hint of lemon brightness, rich buttery dough.

My tweaks / tips (in case you try it yourself)

• Do not be overly generous with the raspberry-cardamom filling. Spread it evenly between the dough layers so every slice has jam and spice, but try to steer clear of the edges so that it doesn’t ooze out when twisting it.
• Don’t skip the lemon zest in the filling — it cuts through the sweetness and keeps the flavor bright.
• For the glaze: pour it over while the wreath is still slightly warm so it seeps in and adds moisture and sweetness without being too runny.
• Serve warm — it tastes best fresh out of the oven or within a few hours.

Overall 1,000/10!

This wreath is more than just a bread or pastry — it’s a little work of holiday art. Pulling it apart layer by layer, sharing slices with family or friends, feeling the warmth and festive flavor — it’s the kind of recipe that makes a holiday morning feel cozy and special.

If you’re looking for a show-stopper that’s surprisingly approachable — perfect for Christmas breakfast or a winter brunch — I absolutely recommend giving the Raspberry Cardamom Snowflake Pull-Apart Wreath a try.

Raspberry Pull Apart Snowflake Wreath

This recipe comes from Sur la Table with a few tweaks and added suggestions. It could feed 8-10 people depending on how big of a slice is taken.

Servings 10

Prep Time 3 hours hrs

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

• 1 1/4 cup Warm Water Temperature between 100-115F
• 1 tbsp Instant Yeast
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter, cooled
• 4 1/2 cups All purpose flour (plus more for kneading) (I used unbleached, Bob's Mill brand)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground cardamom (you could also add 1 tsp orange zest)
• 1 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil to coat bowl

Raspberry Filling

• 1 cup raspberry jam
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• zest from one half of a lemon

Instructions

 

To prepare the dough:

• Place the warm water in a small bowl with the sugar and mix together. Add the yeast and stir. Let stand for about 5 minutes. The proofed yeast should be foamy and bubbly.
• To the mixing bowl of your stand mixer, add eggs, honey and butter, whisking eggs to combine. Add the bloomed yeast water mixture.
• Add the flour, salt and cardamom and mix briefly to combine using the dough hook. Turn the mixer on low speed, and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. If the dough is sticky add an additional ½ cup of flour.
• Remove dough from mixing bowl and form into a smooth ball. Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil and add the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk.

To make the filling:

• In a small sauce pan, whisk together all ingredients until combined over low heat until thin and easier to spread.

To shape the wreath:

• Line sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly flour your counter and punch down your dough. Cut the dough evenly into 4 pieces and form each piece into a ball. With a rolling pin, roll each piece into a 10 inch circle. Place 1 circle on the parchment lined sheet pan and spread with 1/3 of the filling, leaving a ½" border. Repeat with 2 more layers and remaining filling. Top with the 4th dough round.
• Place a 2" wide glass or round cutter in the center of your dough as a guide. Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 4 equal triangles. Do not cut through the center. Cut each triangle into 4 equal pieces for a total of 16 triangles. Remove the glass or round cutter. Lift the edges of 2 wedges and twist them away from each other twice. Pinch the ends together to seal. Repeat with remaining wedges.
• Cover the shaped wreath with greased plastic wrap and let rise 45 minutes.

To prepare the glaze:

• Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove plastic wrap from wreath and brush the entire surface with egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes and rotate back to front. Bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown.
• Let wreath cool 5 minutes and pour glaze over the entire wreath or dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Course: Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Holidays